A Day in the Life
by Mio Amore
Summary: This will be a collection of one-shots based off songs that inspire me. Most will revolve around Raven, but you never know, I just might throw in a story based on another Titan.
1. Day Late Friend

**A/N-** Aha! So this is the first installment in a new little project I'm starting. All of these one-shots will be based on a song. The title of the story will be the song title, just so you know! :) Oh, and for those of you wondering about _Mia Bella_, don't worry, the next chapter is on its way! Anyway, hope you enjoy!

**Title: **Day Late Friend

**Song: **Day Late Friend by Anberlin

**Summary:** Robin loves her, Raven's moved on. Is he just a day late friend?

**Pairing: **Raven/Aqualad, Robin/Starfire, implied Raven/Robin

**Disclaimer-** I own nothing, the song belongs to Anberlin and their label, and of course, DC owns Teen Titans.

* * *

**A Day in the Life**

_Day Late Friend_

..............

_To:_

_Richard Grayson & Koriand'r Star_

_You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of_

_Rachel Roth & Garth Shayeris_

_On Saturday, June 20__th_

_At four o'clock_

_Bougainvillea Beach Resort in Barbados_

_Please RSVP_

Letting the paper slip from his hands and gently fall to the table below, Richard turned from the harmless piece of parchment.

It had been three years.

Three years since he last talked to her; since he had last seen her…

Since he had last kissed her.

…And now she was getting married?

Heaving a sigh, Richard ran a hand through his disheveled hair searching for his coat and car keys. He grabbed them up and brusquely walked out the door of his apartment. It barely grazed his mind that he was leaving his girlfriend of three years back at the apartment without a word as to his destination. Koriand'r- better known as Starfire- would probably get up, find him missing and as usual worry and come looking for him, but he paid no mind to that.

The second he had opened the invitation, he had foolishly resolved to confront Rachel- formally known as Raven- about her most recent decision, though he hadn't exactly figured out why, or how for that matter.

So without second thought he threw on his jacket, mounted his bike and was off, to where, he hadn't a clue.

As he dashed past street after street, he realized to where he was heading. The tower began to loom up ahead, and the sea surrounding darted in and out from his view; he shifted gears and sped up, sure of his course of action.

Looking up at the tower he once called home after all these years was hard. He could feel the memories clinging to it like a fog, swirling and twisting around as an invisible mist, yet still impenetrable in its entirety.

The times he spent here were some of the best he had…

And some of the worst.

Without a second thought, he unclipped a grappling hook from his belt, something he always carried even as he was dressed now- as a civilian. He fired it to the top of the steel structure, scaling until he reached the roof. Sure he could have entered his former home, but he didn't know if the constructors who were repairing the building for the new Teen Titans, under Victor "Cyborg" Stone's watchful eye, were occupying it or if it was still too early for them to be on the job. Either way, he had no need to enter; he would wait here for Victor, like he always did when he needed the man's advice.

Besides Raven, Richard had kept in touch with each of the original Titans. Sure he could find out what she had been doing, where she had been living-it wasn't as if she disappeared when she left the Titan's, the thing was that he had been too…afraid-if he was being completely honest with himself- to get in touch with her. They hadn't separated on the best of terms all those years ago, and that had kept him away. He had been fine to just known she was alright, because he wasn't sure if she would want him to know anymore, but that letter; that _invitation._

Letting out an aggravated sigh, he turned to the sound of the opening door. Smiling, Victor stepped out into the rising sun, "Long time; no see man."

Smiling sheepishly Richard offered his hand for Victor to shake. As per usual they got straight to business. Victor was accustomed to these surprise visits- they were always the ones when Richard wanted to know of Raven.

Shaking his head, Victor gave off a throaty laugh, "Can you believe it? Our little Rae is all grown-up and gettin' married."

Swallowing the growl that threatened to pass his lips, Richard gave a shaky laugh in return. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about…"

Looking suspiciously at his companion, Victor scratched the back of his head, "Yea?"

Letting silence reign, Richard attempted to draw together the words he needed to say. "I- She- Okay look. It's been three years since… since we last even saw each other, and I think it's about time we got in touch. Vic, I need your help. I need to see her."

Giving Richard a dirty look Vic paced away from him, "Man! After all these years and you want to bring that shit up _now?_ She's getting married in a week, Rich! You had three years, _three years,_ and you wait till seven days before her and Garth tie the knot? This is unbelievable!"

Watching his best friend pace back and forth, Richard let his words sink in. "Vic, I just need to talk to her! I can't- I can't _not_ know."

Stopping his angry pacing, Victor came face to face with the ebony haired man, searching for his sincerity then stalked away toward the door. Before disappearing down the stairs, Victor called back, "You'll find her on 34th and Kirkham Street."

* * *

As Richard's bike slowed to a stop in front of the address Victor had given him, he questioned whether or not it was the right place, but looking through the window of the quaint little coffee house he saw a woman who had striking similarities to Raven. Upon entering the shop, a little bell alerted it's occupants of Richard's entrance. Looking up from the novel she was currently reading was Raven, or Rachel as she went by now.

The new name seemed to fit her new look. Keeping the same shade of hair, its length now reached to mid back and was curled instead of straight. Her body had become that of a woman's with her soft curves and slight frame. Her piercing amethyst orbs looked up to Richard, but something was missing. And then he noticed, the red chakra that once rested between her slim eyebrows was missing, and somehow that small change gave Richard's heart a painful squeeze.

At first, he could tell she had no recognition of him, but he hadn't changed much, and soon enough she remembered. Rising slowly to her feet, she gracefully walked from behind the counter and met him halfway into the shop, which he now realized was both a café and bookstore; no doubt that she owned.

Drawn back to the woman coming over to him, he hesitantly offered her his hand, as he had before with Victor, but pushing it aside she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a gentle hug. "It has been too long, Richard."

Letting out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, he wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze back. Reluctantly she pulled back, and he let his grip go, instead grabbing both of her hands into his and giving her a warm smile. "Do you think you have a minute for an old friend?"

Chuckling, Raven nodded and slipped completely from his hold to walk back to the counter, she called to the back while taking off her apron to toss to the girl who immerged from the storage room. "Take care of the shop for a minute, I'll be back soon."

Turning back around to face Richard, she gestured for him to follow, leading him across the way to the park so they could have some alone time. They came upon a park bench and sat so they could catch up.

"So, how have you been? I haven't talked to you since…" Trailing off, Rachel let her gaze drift to the ground, but shook her head and continued on with her conversation. "Well, since I left the Titans." Giving a sad sort of smile, she waited for Richard to respond.

Frowning, he grabbed up one of her hands and began fiddling with her fingers, specifically her ring finger which now housed Garth's engagement ring. The gesture went unnoticed by Rachel who was remembering the last time Richard had held her hand, all those years ago. Looking back up into her eyes, Richard searched her face for something- anything to tell him that she was unhappy. "Things have been the same… until your invitation… When did that happen?"

Focusing back on the present, she smiled down at her hand, admiring the beautiful ring Garth had given her. It was his mother's, and she cared for it dearly. "He proposed in January, two years after we started dating."

Scowling down at the ring, he covered it with his hand, completely encasing hers. "Rave-Rachel, when you left… I was scared, and-"

Pulling back her hand, Rachel rose slowly, realization dawning on her face, "Richard, no. Not now, not ever."

"Please Raven, listen to me!" Ignoring the way he called her by her original name, Richard rose up with her and grabbed onto her shoulders. "What happened three years ago, I never meant for that to happen, and I never forgave myself!"

"Richard, the past is in the past, please, just leave it there. Please," Rachel's eyes began to tear up at the awful memories of the night she lost not only her first love, but the night she left her home, her family. If she were honest with herself, she never truly forgave Richard, but the time that had elapsed, she had been ready to see him again and try to reestablish their friendship, but this she couldn't take this.

"Raven! I love you, I have since we had gone out, but you left, and you were so angry, and I thought you hated me, but I can't let you do this, I need to know what could have been!" Becoming desperate, Richard pulled Raven in tight and crushed his lips against hers, pouring all of his passion, love, and fear into it. He could taste Rachel's salty tears, and felt her tiny hands pushing against him. Letting her go, Rachel backed away, wrapping her arms around her, lips red and swollen and eyes red and puffy. It was easy to see the longing, and the desire, but there was the hurt and the disappointment.

Putting as much space in between them as she could, Rachel made sure to look Richard in the eyes to show him the seriousness. "Richard, you had your chance, _we _had a chance, but you didn't want it. Now I'm with Garth and _I_ _love him! _And what about Kori? Richard… maybe before…but we can't do this. I won't do this."

Trying to approach her, Richard extended an arm as if to grab her and pull her back in. "Raven…"

"No Richard, not anymore. You're too late." Giving him one last lingering look, she turned her back on him and walked back to her shop, leaving Richard kicking himself for waiting so long.

* * *

Saturday, Richard attended the wedding with Kori at his side, watching as Raven- Rachel walked down the path to Garth, as they were outside in beautiful Barbados. He watched as Victor gave her away to him, and how they held hands, gave their vows, and lastly kissed. And he watched as the woman he loves was taken away from him, and all he could think was, _you're just a day late friend._

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**A/N-**Feedback would be lovely. :)

Just press that pretty green link that says Review this Story/Chapter!

-

And P.S. I just found my little notebook filled with all of my song fic ideas, so I should be working on these every chance I get!

**Mio Amore**


	2. Dr Worm

**A/N-** Oh boy, I honestly cannot tell you where this came from, only that I love the song, and it inspired me to open up a word document and start typing. Haha. It needed to be written, I suppose, otherwise I'd be stuck on it for weeks and become frustrated. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. It's not much of a story, or plot, but hey, it's amusing, right?

**Title-** Dr. Worm

**Song-** Dr. Worm by They Might Be Giants

**Summary-** Raven is awoken by her friends... The horror ensues.

**Pairings- **None.

**Disclaimer-** I own nothing, just the crazy idea that I can amuse you with my writing.

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**A Day in the Life**

_Dr. Worm_

"One, two, three, four!"

Woken by the sudden loud music blaring through the tower, Raven shot up from her bed wondering what the heck was going on. She heard a muffled voice singing a foreign song and decided to get up and investigate.

Stumbling from her room, Raven made her way to the common room, listening as the music became clearer.

"_I'm not a real doctor, But I am a real worm;"_

Opening the door where the music traveled out from, Raven stopped dead in her tacks at the sight before her. There, where the couch and TV set used to sit were her friends all dressed ridiculously and all playing an instrument. But the oddest thing was Beast Boy, in the shape of a large worm _with arms_, playing the drums and _singing._

"How can worms sing?"

As if she wasn't even there her friends kept playing the song, which sounded as if they were on a loop. Floating over to Starfire large question marks popped out above Raven's head as her eyes took in her friend's form. There she was, dressed in a tutu, playing the trumpet?

"Since when do you play the trumpet?!"

Backing away from the sight she bumped into Robin, dressed in a mascot suit resembling his namesake. Plucking away at the strings of his guitar he followed after her singing random back-up notes.

"_When I give the signal, my friend Rabbi Vole will pay the solo"_

Turning from him she watched as Cyborg, dressed in a _rat_ suit started in on what could only be called a bass solo, freaked out as he started to dance.

Backing up into the drum set, she turned and watched as Beast Boy the worm sang to her with a goofy smile and sang the last notes.

"_But they call me Dr. Worm."_

Letting out a piercing scream, Raven awoke with a start in her bed breathing heavily and drenched in sweat.

"I really need to stop drinking tea before bed."

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Review please. :)

**-Mio Amore**


	3. What Hurts the Most

**A/N-** Warning, sad! Or at least as sad as I can make a story. I'm not so good with writing tragedy, but I don't know. I just felt I needed to do this piece. Anyways, the song influenced a lot of the 'thoughts' in this, which are obviously in first person at the beginning and end, whereas the music video inspired most of the actual story portion. By the way, I am terribly sorry for not posting anything for so long, especially on Mia Bella, but I've been trying to get a beta for some time now, and I thought I had one but they kind of disappeared on me, so if anyone is willing, please contact me! I have most of the new chapter ready for Mia Bella, but I'm thinking of doing some changes so I really want to beta it first! Anyways, this is my senior year in high school and I'm taking a lot of college courses, so bear with me on updates, I'm going to be loaded down with homework! And thanks to any and all readers, you guys are awesome! Sorry for boring you with this extremely long author's note. (:

**Title- **What Hurts the Most

**Song-** What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts

**Summary-** The death of a loved one can hurt in more ways than one, but sometimes it's what happened during their time with us that affect us the most.

**Pairings- **Robin/Raven

**Disclaimer-** I own nothing. Teen Titans belongs to DC Comics and Cartoon Network and the song is owned by Rascal Flatts and whoever their record company is.

* * *

**A Day in the Life**

_What Hurts the Most_

"_Regret is an odd emotion because it comes only upon reflection. Regret lacks immediacy, and so its power seldom influences events when it could do some good."_

_-William O'Rourke_

Some people say that to live with regret is to not live at all, but how can that be when regret is the one emotion that is completely honest? It cannot be altered, it cannot be forgotten; it can only be accepted. It's a harsh slap to the face that brings us back to reality, to the bitter truth from which we hide away in our emotions.

I used to agree with those people; I used to believe that regret would keep you tied to your past in the worst of ways. But it's within that fact where redemption lies. If there is anyway to fix the mistakes we have made, it is to not make them twice; and the only way to allow that is by facing them, accepting them, and learning from them.

If I think on it, I live with many regrets, probably more than most. Yet none of them compare to _this._ Living day by day asking, 'what if?', and not ever knowing.

* * *

­­

Through bleary, blood shot eyes, the red numbers from the digital clock stared back at her, mocking her. _3:48am…3:49am…_

Sleep was not something that easily came to her, but now it seemed almost non-existent. What few hours she could manage was wrought with nightmares and tossing and turning; always ending with her waking up too early after finding rest a mere few hours before.

Of course, this wasn't the worse part, it never had been. Though getting up and facing each day seemed to become harder with each passing morning, it was bearable; livable.

_With the light playing across her face and the ghost of a breath upon her skin she awoke turning over slowly in his arms, smiling. _

_Running her hand down the side of his face, feeling the slight stubble on his chin as their lips met in a feather light kiss, she whispered 'Good morning.'_

_His returning smile was dazzling, as it always was, and it took her breath away. He nuzzled her neck, pressing light kisses around her collar bone and whispering his own greeting against her soft flesh._

Finally rolling out of bed only half concerned with her friends' plea that she joins them for breakfast, she went about her daily routine of washing and dressing. She found it hard to act normal anymore, as if there was no reason to. Some days she pulled it off quite well it seemed, that pretending to be okay was enough, but those days grew fewer and farther between.

She dreaded to have to face her friends, knowing that he wouldn't be there; trying to put on her smile when all she wanted to do was cry. She knew her friends worried, that they were willing to help, but how could they understand?

Even sitting in the living room watching a movie with the only people she could call family was empty now.

_It was his night to choose the movie, and he was dead set on surprising her. He was convinced that this movie would become a favorite of hers once she saw it._

_Sitting down next to her, wrapping his hand around her own, he gave her a crooked grin, the smile he reserved solely for her that she could never resist. Leaning up and capturing his lips in a chaste kiss, she leaned her head against his shoulder and turned her attention to the opening credits, only half acknowledging his hand that released her own only to wrap around her and recapture her other and the eyes that bore into her, watching for her reaction._

She spent most of her time on her own now, something he had changed somewhere along the way that vanished when he had gone. She liked to spend it on the roof, where she had spent most of her alone time with him, gazing at the night sky, or the blazing city with a life all of its own.

It was here she let herself show the emotions she tried so hard to hide from her friends concerned gazes. Here where she let the tears fall down, tears of mourning, tears of sorrow, tears of regret.

They mingled with the rain that plummeted from the skies, as if the heavens felt her remorse and could do nothing but cry with her, giving her their sympathies.

"_Robin!" she all but squealed as he picked her up spinning her in the air as the rain fell around them._

_Placing her back on her feet and leaning down face to face he whispered her own name back to her before leaning in and kissing her passionately._

_Their picnic had been rained out on, but instead of packing up and leaving he had insisted they stay, how much damage could rain do?_

_They had chased each other, spun and danced as the skies washed the earth with its tears. It had been fun, and free, and everything she had ever wanted._

_Resting his forehead against hers he stared into her eyes, as if he could see her soul. He whispered 'I love you' against her lips, but before she could respond their communicators had gone off calling them to a bank robbery._

Squeezing her eyes shut at the memory she could feel all of her emotion bubbling to the surface, wanting to break free for once in her life, pushing her to act; to do _something!_

Without consciously choosing to, she had teleported to the entrance of the cemetery, her feet already carrying her through the rows of tombstones, heart pounding to the beat of the rain, just like that night.

Coming to stop, breathing heavily and exhaustion creeping up from the running and the sobs still being ripped from her chest she fell to her knees. Running her hands around the carvings in the marble, resisting the urge to throw up as the pain became too much, she slumped down into the stone, letting out all of her pent up emotion.

_Arriving at the bank, it seemed to be an easy, quick job. It seemed the robbers were normal people, without any super human powers. In fact, once the Titans arrived, some of the criminals handed themselves over, but one in particular found it insulting that they 'bow down' to the 'freaks', as he put it._

_While the Titans had spread out to collect the half dozen men still trying to escape, one man raised his gun to the oblivious Raven, aiming for her heart._

_Before anyone had realized what was happening, the man had fire. Robin had jumped in between the startled, and horror-struck Raven and the speeding bullet, saving her life while Cyborg blasted the man down_. _The awful thud that indicated the bullet had lodged itself in Robin's chest and had taken him down seemed to be the only noise as time slowed to a crawl._

_As reality sank into Raven, other noises began to flood into her ears, the piercing sirens of police cars and ambulances, the terrified screams of civilians, and the outraged roar of a green tiger leaping to action to take down the remaining thugs._

_Dropping to her knees, she pulled Robin towards her, his blood soaking the ground, mixing with the rain still heavily falling from the dark clouds._

_She didn't cry, she didn't panic; she just set to work to try and heal him even though she knew, deep down, she had lost him the second he decided to step in front of the bullet._

_His eyes were already glazed over and unblinking, and after sitting their for minutes, maybe hours trying to revive him and exhausting her powers, her friends' pleas and tugs to get her to leave the body finally broke through her defenses and she let go._

_Her friends would never forget the horrible wrenching sob that ripped from her chest or the way she collapsed into him, begging him to come back, to not leave her._

Leaning into the cold white surface of his grave, she brushed her lips against his name whispering the three words she was never able to say to him.

'_I love you.'_

_

* * *

  
_

And if I was completely honest with myself, _this_ was the worst part, never being able to say the words I held inside; the feelings I never showed. _This_ is what hurt the most.

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**A/N-** Please tell me what you think and how I could improve. Thanks! (:

**-Mio Amore**


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